Who Are We Fooling?
by Hannah Rubix
Summary: As Ryan and Taylor emerged from the pool house, her hair down and loose around her neck, Seth and Summer watched them. “Do you think they know we know?” Summer asked, amused at their nervous expressions. Taylor/Ryan oneshot, lots of fluff.


Disclaimer: I do not own the O.C. or anything involved.

Ha, I love Taylor/Ryan. They're adorable for each other. Rate & Review please

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He couldn't get her out of his head. It was impossible, he had tried everything. Reading a magazine, even a Sports Illustrated and a Playboy didn't help. All that did was make him picture her in the skimpy outfits, which made him get a little excited and made it harder to get her out of his head. He had to set down the magazine after a while, that wasn't working for him. Then he decided to challenge Seth to some Playstation game. He had forgotten the name of the game, but it was one of the harder ones. After about five rounds, he gave up. Seth was gloating because he had won each round, but he knew why. Even when he was trying to beat Seth, he couldn't get her out of his mind. He pictured playing this game with her, how she would squeal whenever she got a point. He could almost hear her delighted laughter in his ears. That had just made him more frustrated and anxious to see her again. He had decided to put in a movie, one of those tearjerkers that reduced Kirsten, Seth, and even Sandy into tears. Half way through he realized he hadn't the faintest clue what was going on, and when he paid attention, he realized he was picturing him and her in that bed, talking themselves to sleep.

Shaking his head, Ryan Atwood stood up from his comfortable position on the floor. He was tired, but he knew the second he closed his eyes he would only be thinking of her. If only he could expel all thoughts of her, and of her silly laugh out of his head. He wanted to go out with Seth, maybe back to the kitchen to study or something. He would go to work, but she might be there. It's not like he didn't want to see her, in fact it was the opposite, but it scared him how much he wanted to see her. He wanted to twirl locks of her wavy auburn hair around his fingers; he wanted to gaze into those liquid hazel eyes for hours. It was incredible how they could look so wide, innocent, and doe-like, yet at the same time look coy and naughty. Whenever he gazed into them he sensed vulnerability.

She was incredibly beautiful. With her light hair flowing down her shoulders, her knowing hazel eyes, her soft and tanned skin, her toned body, and the way everything she wore hugged her curves just right. She looked fit and athletic, yet still somehow delicately soft. He wanted to hold her in his arms once again to see what it felt like, if it were the same as those times he had her in his arms before. He wasn't supposed to be thinking of her like this, she was just a friend that he helped out. Actually, not even a friend. A friend of a friend. That sounded better to him, it made it sound almost as if he didn't know her, and he didn't spend time fantasizing about her.

She was Taylor Townsend, one time conniving, manipulative girl who was having an affair with the Dean. But the more Ryan learned about her, the more he thought that she never could've been like that. She was one of the sweetest girls he knew, definitely sweeter than Kaitlin and Summer. She was adorable in her own way, and the strangest person he had ever met. He could tell she was affection starved, that she wasn't used to having someone there for her, someone to talk to. And it was too late for him to stop thinking about her, to take himself out of her life. Because she was already his…he wasn't quite sure what. Friend? Acquaintance? Girl who slept with the Dean but helped get his dead ex girlfriend back into Harbor?

And then there was the matter of Marissa. He didn't know if he was honestly ready to get involved with someone, involved in a relationship like his and Marissa's. It had been months since she died, and since Volchok had been arrested, but her sweet self was imprinted on his mind. She had been one of his first friends here, one of the core reasons for staying in Newport. She had been his first love. And then she had just been torn out of his life, her life taken by someone who had to live with the pain of killing Marissa Cooper for every day of his pathetic little life. But Ryan couldn't lose the picture of her sparkling blue eyes, forever closed, her slim body broken and scarred, and her golden hair a shade of late sunset, stained by blood. He would do anything to have her back. But there was a force now, something as big as Marissa's death had been to him, and its name was Taylor.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the pool house door, to which he cleared his throat and said, "Come in." Not to his surprise, there stood Seth. "Hey man," he greeted his friend, who had already sat down on the bed. "Ryan, man, you really need to do something. You've been holed up in the pool house all day." Ryan shrugged; he wasn't really in the mood to go out. Seth scrutinized him with his dark eyes, clearly trying to figure out if Ryan had slipped back into his depression. "Honestly Seth, I'm fine in here. I have magazines, beer, chips, a TV, and the Play station," he replied, his tone light so that Seth wouldn't start questioning him. Seth just raised an eyebrow and spoke again. "Well, too bad. I thought you could use some company, and Summer said she was coming over, and I told her she could bring-"

They were interrupted by a light knock on the door and a chipper voice. "Hi Ryan, hi Seth," a smiling Taylor said as she walked in, dressed in tight jeans and a tight red blouse. Ryan felt himself gaping, and quickly shut his mouth. "Hey Atwood, Cohen," Summer stepped in after Taylor, dressed in a purple top and a pair of dark skinny jeans. "Hey," Ryan replied, standing up. He didn't want either of them to notice how nervous he was, or how awkward he felt. Seth walked over to Summer, a small smile dancing on his lips. "My lady," He leaned down and pecked her on the lips. "Hi Taylor." Soon enough, Summer and Seth were in full make out mode, and after he noticed how uncomfortable he and Taylor both felt, Ryan cleared his throat. "Can you two get a room or something?"

The happy couple looked at the two of them, and then looked at each other. "Actually, Ryan my man, we might go do that." Summer giggled as Seth pulled her back toward the house, and she gaily waved goodbye. Closing the door and the blinds, Ryan turned to face Taylor. "I've been thinking about you all day," he murmured, nearing her. Taylor laughed nervously, and then replied, "So have I. It was torture, sitting with Summer when she was picking out flower arrangements when all I could think about was this." Soon, his arms were around her and everything was good again. He breathed in the sweet, intoxicating scent of her favorite perfume. "So…I've been thinking," she gasped, running her fingers through his soft hair.

"Mhm," he responded, finally pressing is lips roughly against her soft ones. They had to stop doing this; it was driving both him and his body crazy. He knew they were doing everything but, and he wondered when they would finally break that rule. She was preoccupied for the minute with his tongue in her mouth. "I was wondering when we should tell them we're back together." She panted, now on top of him on the bed. He shrugged, and ran his lips down her smooth neck. "What about today?" She managed to squeak out. She ran her hands down his chest and pulled of his shirt, running her fingers up and down his toned muscles. Ryan smiled faintly as he undid the top bottom of her blouse and kissed her neck again. "Ok, right after this," he promised.

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As Ryan and Taylor emerged from the pool house, her hair down and loose around her neck, Seth and Summer watched them. "Do you think they know we know?" Summer asked, amused at their nervous expressions. She laughed quietly at her and Seth's little joke. "They definitely don't, just look. They're shaking in their socks," he responded, putting his arm around his tiny fiancée. "They're both really bad liars. I can't believe they didn't know we knew since they had gone to the 'bathroom' together when we went for dinner," Summer replied, laughing. Seth shushed her quietly as Ryan and Taylor walked in. "Let's go hear them drop the bomb," he replied, walking his girlfriend to the new Fab Four, smiling secretly. Ryan and Taylor were meant to be, even though they couldn't see that just yet, and Summer and him would help them realize that.


End file.
